News

Brewing Network vets open taproom in Concord; Santa Cruz Mountains has its own wine club

By Jessica Yadegaran

Contra Costa Times

Posted:
07/23/2014 12:00:00 PM PDT

Updated:
07/24/2014 01:37:25 PM PDT

Beer cafe, radio station: Internet radio personalities Justin Crossley and Scott Moskowitz of the beer show "The Brewing Network" have opened their first taproom and bottle shop, in Concord.

The Hop Grenade, located in the former Panama Red coffee spot in Todos Santos Plaza, serves a rotating lineup of 20 premium craft beers on tap, 100 more by the bottle, and some drool-worthy small bites, including jalapeño popcorn, Bavarian pretzels and flatbreads -- beer marinara, smoked pancetta, red onion, roasted garlic, mushrooms and mozzarella, anyone? -- while housing the radio show's recording studio and headquarters. Grab a brew and listen to the latest ale report, live. Details: 2151 Salvio St., Suite J-K, Concord. www.thehopgrenade.com.

The second editions of David Broom's The World Atlas of Whiskey debuts this fall.
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AVA wine club: Why join one wine club when you fancy wines from the entire appellation? The Wine Club of the Santa Cruz Mountains gives members direct access to unique, small-production, locally produced wines from among the AVA's 70-plus wineries.

Wine Club members currently receive four shipments a year and can opt to pick up their selections at a Soquel office or have them shipped to their door. Other perks: A 10 percent discount, tasting notes and an invitation to an annual wine bottling and potluck at a Santa Cruz Mountains winery. Plus, give them important dates, and they'll ship birthday and anniversary bottles to your loved ones. Details: www.wineclubsantacruzmountains.com.

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New whisky book: If you're a Dave Broom fan, consider yourself stoked: The whisky expert is coming out with a fully revised, updated edition of "The World Atlas of Whisky" (Mitchell Beazley, $39.99, 336 pages) this fall.

The first edition has been hailed as one of the greatest books ever written on the subject, and the second edition goes even more in-depth, with 28 updated maps, 250 new tasting notes and 12 new pages devoted to the American craft distillery boom, featuring Colorado, Utah, New York, California, Michigan and new territories such as Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Sections on Ireland and Canada have been completely rewritten, while sections on Scotland and Japan have been updated to address their respective whisky booms.

Broom draws you in for a dram as he explains the world of whisky through flavor, introducing five "flavor camps" -- including perfumed "fragrant and floral" to cookielike "malty and dry" -- to help you select the right one for your palate or a loved one's. Seriously -- here's to perfect early holiday shopping. Done and done.